High electromotive force non-aqueous electrolyte batteries which utilize oxidation and reduction of lithium have lately attracted attention as high capacity and high energy density batteries.
As the non-aqueous electrolyte for these types of batteries, there are generally used electrolytes in which a solute, for example, lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF.sub.6), lithium perchlorate (LiClO.sub.4), and the like, is dissolved in a solvent, for example, propylene carbonate, dimethyl carbonate and the like.
It has been proposed that acetyl propylene carbonate having an acetyl substituent group at the 3- or 4-position be used as a solvent of a non-aqueous electrolyte to increase current efficiency during charge-discharge cycles of the negative electrode (Japanese patent Laid-Open publication No. Sho 63-32870).
However, the non-aqueous electrolyte reacts with the negative electrode, etc. in the non-aqueous electrolyte battery described above. There are still problems that cycle characteristics are reduced.